The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-01


Pranzini was born OF italian parents in 1856
at Alexandria. Egypt, Of the vilest hot-beds
of vice in the Levant At the age Of eighteen
he secured employm MT in the Cairo postofhce
where he remained TIL 1879. when he caught
removing mail matter from letters and summa-
rily discharged. After hanging around the
rious ports on the Mediterranean he made his
way to Odessa, where he became courier to the
late General Skobeleff. Sent bv the General ~
! accompany his mother az journey
from Bulgaria to Russia. Pranzini
disappeared simultaneously with the
murder Of the old lady. Then he drfted further
East, travelling through India and Afghanistan
with party of merchants for whom he acted
as interpreter. After a few months he was
heard of as an interpreter in a Constantiuople
hotel. and subsequently in a similar post at the
Hotel Royal in Naples. where he got into trouble
for stealing bank notes addressed to guest. In
the season of 1883 he a Pullman con-
ductor from Calais to BrinGisi. but he dis
charged here also for theft In 1884 he accom-
panied Lord Woseley IS expedition 10 the Soudan
interpreter, and at the close secured certiti-
cate. signed by Col Ardagh, stating that he
spoke with equal facility English, French.
Italian. Greek, Turkish, Arabic. Russian and
Hndoo.
there devoted himself exclusively to the profes-
sion OF backmailer and hanger-on of fast women.
His fine and naughty appearance was greatly to
his advantage. de had n magnificent physique.
coal-bIack eyes and hair. a carefully trimmed
beard. and always dressed in the latest fashion
Though his manner looked somewhat etfeminate,
he was possessed of extraordinary muscular
strength 1t is this popularity which seems TO
have been his main attraction to women.
Pranzini made practice of following women
in the streets and slipping his card into their
hands In this way he met a Partisan lady of
prominence. who also fell in love with him. A
young American girl was perfectly infatuated
yvIth <hn ms a har faYyf md
among the murderer's effects. ana all expressive
OF the deepest attachment. Indeed, there Is 10
doubt that Marie Regnault was murdered for
the purpose of securing her money. and enabling
Pranzni to go to New York to marry this young
American lady. 1t was while carrying this
correspondence that Pranzini succeeded in in
gratiatng himself in the good graces Of his vic
tim. Marie Regnault. He was then living at the
expense of glove dealer named Mime. Sabater.
20 years his senior, but. like Pranzinis other
female acquaintances. perfectly infatuated with
the rascal
Marie Regnault had strange existence At
the time of her death she was about forty.
Though deml-mondalne. she quiet and
well-conducted woman. Her lovers men
of mature age. and included q general of the
British army, rich official of the Ministry of
Finance. and chief of bureau of the Interior
Department. Being of a saving disposition, she
had amassed quite n fortune. The only per
who resided with her in the handsome fat
Rue dc Montaige. her maid. Anne Gre
meret the latters little ten n-year-old daughter,
and cook. The cook sleDt in the garrett
under the roOf; the women occupied apartments
the second floor. On the morning OF March
II the cook, entering the fiat, through the
kitchen Mortified to find the corpses of
Marie RegnaUlt, Annie Gemeret and the little
girl. with their throats cut from to 4
few days later Pranzini was arrested in Mar
seilles. where attention had been attracted to-
ward him by the lavish manner in which he was
bestowing jewels the common women of the
town. He strenuously denied the murder. and
the police for a time were at a loss what to do to
obtain proof of his guilt, when chance came to
o Sabatler.
a letter of Pranznis TO Marie Resnault was
discovered, in which lie alluded the glove
filter that old bearded dragon" When
shown the letter, the woman's love suddenly
changed to hate, and she admitted tnst at her
preliminary exam lnation she had periured her
self in swearing that Pranzini bad stopped at
her house the night of the murder. This
the missing link IN the chain of circumstances
duplicating Pranzini, and thanc efortn his
guilt seemed fully established. After five
days trial the jury found him
guilty, and he was sentenced to death. Since
then Nine. Sabater appears to have repented
and about two weeks ago she appealed person
ally to President Grevy, begging for the doomed
President refused and the execution took place
Throughout the trial and during mis- incar-
ceratlon, PranZIni exhibited the most provoking
indifference and stolcism sarcastically CRITICS
ing Judge ard jurors, and posing a martyr to
an extraordinary set of circums tauces, while
pe2tedly protesting his Innocence